Pumpkin, Potato, Carrot and Delicata Squash Pie
A few days ago I received an email from Robert Casserly, the director of Sanctuary One, the first non-profit care farm in the United States. Care farms are farms where people, animals, and the earth work together for mutual healing. Sanctuary One is located in the Applegate region of southern Oregon.
Robert told me that he had discovered my blog and that he liked what I was doing with pies and if I ever had the desire to make a pie for a few pigs, he knew just the pigs to give it to. This morning I emailed Robert to ask if today would be a good day to visit the Sanctuary and later he called back with an emphatic “Yes.” He thought Lisa and Lulu (the pigs) would be delighted to receive a pie and gave me some suggestions as to the ingredients: no sugar needed for the pie, keep it vegetarian, and the best advice, “pigs will eat just about anything.”
One pie didn’t seem quite enough for two pigs and so I baked three smaller pies using mashed pumpkin, potatoes, and carrots. I wanted to make them extra special and so I cooked off some delicata squash as garnish and arranged it and some parsley atop the finished pies. Then I drove out to the Applegate to deliver the pies. I was accompanied on this trip by Laurel, a young lady who wanted to videotape this pie delivery.
About an hour later, we arrived at Sanctuary One and were met at the gate by Sansa, the animal care manager. She let us in and took us over to where the animals were fed. The pigs waited inside the barn while we arranged the pies on a large boulder and once that was done we were led outside of the gate for our own safety (because the pigs get so excited at feeding time!)
Then Sansa let Lisa and Lulu out of the barn and those pigs actually ran to the boulder and began slurping up the pies. It was a bit of a frenzy and they were enjoying every minute of it! In no time at all their happy faces were smeared with pumpkin and the only thing that wasn’t devoured was the parsley garnishing the pies.
Once Lisa and Lulu were led back into the barn, the goats came over to the boulder and ate up what was left. It didn’t seem fair that the goats hadn’t had a pie of their own, and that got me to thinking that there just might be another pie day at Sanctuary One with enough pie for all of the animals. I imagine that will be a sight to behold!
For a list of ways that you can help Sanctuary One in its mission, please click here.
And for more photos of Sanctuary One, click on the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/SanctuaryOne/6421505367/in/photostream or enjoy a youtube video of the pigs eating leftover Halloween pumpkins here:
Thanks!
Pie a Day Give Away 
In France we have a saying “donner de la confiture aux cochons” (giving jam to pigs), which means giving something to someone who doesn’t deserve/appreciate it.
You give pies to pigs! And they seem to appreciate them…
Did they ever! Those were very happy pigs… and such fun to watch them eat with abandon!
Those are some lucky piggies! You Are truly sharing with everyone and everything! Love e photos today.
Connie
Thanks Connie… I especially love the llama photo… so much seems to be going on behind those eyes!
Lisa and Lulu told me to tell you THANKS! for the pies. Pigs are smart and have a good memory, so don’t be surprised if next time you visit they give you a good sniffing-over looking for some more of that yummy stuff from the Pie Lady.
Here’s a video of Lisa and Lulu enjoying eating leftover Halloween pumpkins that you might enjoy. I picked the music based on what I like to imagine a pig is thinking as they enjoy a delicious meal : http://youtu.be/TkBETO_d6D8
Robert,
It will be hard to top the photos on this post… it was such fun to visit the sanctuary and see how it has developed over these years. What a wonderful thing you have created… thank you and thanks to everyone that is part of it.
I will look forward to being sniffed by the pigs sometime soon!
Funny they don’t eat the skin, you’d think they’d gobble the lot! Picky pigs. Gastronome pigs!
I love this idea, I love the pictures, and I love you!!
Very sweet to take care of everyone – even cute pigs!!
xxxx